cliff deadline that congress faces. the reality is, if you hear it from the outside, these public statements from both sides, it doesn't sound very good. here's speaker boehner and the president talking at the end of the week. >> when it comes to the fiscal cliff, this threatening of our economy and threatening jobs, the white house has wasted another week. the president has adopted a deliberate strategy to slow walk or economy right to the edge of the fiscal cliff. >> we're going to have to see the rates on the top 2% go up. and we're not going to be able to get a deal without it. >> so here's my sense, congressman mccarthy. why in the minds of republicans aren't they processing it this way? look, president, we'll give you what you want on rates. let them go up. but we have to get something in return. big cuts in the medicare program, and we're willing to make a deal is. that essentially the thinking of speaker boehner at this point? >> the president wants the rates to go up, that doesn't solve the problem and we don't